Victoria warned on climate-change dangers

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Climate change particularly threatens amphibians such as this green tree frog at the Amphibian Research Centre in Werribee. Rising temperatures are expected to affect plant and animal species, CSIRO research shows.Picture:JOHN WOUDSTRA

The State Government says Victoria is unprepared for global climate change as new scientific research suggests temperatures across the state could rise up to five degrees by 2070.

Farms in north-west Victoria are expected to be worst hit by drought, with predictions that farmers will have to grow drought-tolerant crops to survive.

Melbourne and southern coastal areas are more likely to be whipped by freak storms and wild weather in coming decades, while plant and animal species are expected to diminish.

The CSIRO research was released yesterday at the launch of a Government discussion paper, Adapting to Climate Change - Enhancing Victoria's Capacity at Melbourne's new Amphibian Research Centre at Werribee.

Environment Minister John Thwaites said Victorians needed to adjust to a grim future of climate change caused by global greenhouse gas emissions.

"I don't think we are prepared," he said. "People need to realise that climate change could have a major impact on their lives.

"We are going to have to cope with more droughts and more bushfires because of climate change, but it will have a major impact on a whole range of other areas."

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Senior CSIRO researcher Penny Whetton said drought and a reduction in frost frequency were likely to affect farmers seriously.

Wimmera wheat growers would have to cultivate new plant varieties that were more heat resistant, she said.

Climate change was also likely to place a greater strain on Melbourne's roads and water drainage system as more frequent flash flooding was expected.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Paul Weller said wheat farmers were changing their agriculture methods to cope with drought.

"They've changed the way they till the ground to retain more moisture and they're reverting to shorter-cycle plants so they can grow a crop in a shorter period of time," he said.

"There's always concern about drought in the north-west of the state and there has been especially in the last eight years, but it's about adjusting your farming systems to manage."

Melbourne Water managing director Brian Bayley said he was confident Melbourne's water supply and stormwater and sewerage systems would cope with climate change.

He said Melbourne Water was completing a major study on the impacts of environment change. The study would be released in the next two months.

Environment Victoria spokesman Darren Gladman warned that major greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced only by reducing the use of brown coal.

"Victoria is one of the worst greenhouse polluters in the world per person because we are reliant on brown coal, the most greenhouse-polluting way to produce energy," he said.